Magic Talk : Johnny Hates Jazz

Because I am a lover of silence, I am still not doing lots of magic talks and magic events, but “Johnny Hates Jazz” was visiting my neighbourhood, so can’t ignore that, huh?

Clark Datchler & Mike Nocito returned in the music industry a while ago and surprised the world with an incredible Album called “Magnetized” in 2013 featuring the excellent title track amongst other songs like “Lighthouse”, “Man With No Name” and “Release You”.

I remembered that I was checking the Facebookpage if there was something coming up in the Netherlands, but then a couple of weeks Clark did not post anything and then explain the drastic silence. The charismatic singer collapsed in London, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, which can’t be treated by chemotherapy and with an operation can be beaten maybe. Luckily the doctors gave Clark his life back and is ready to make people happy again with his beautiful voice together with his band mate Mike Nocito.

I met the two legendary very friendly easy-going popstars at Tulip Inn Hotel in Hilversum, after their live performance of “Turn Back The Clock” with JHJ guitarist Marcus Bonfanti at Gerard Ekdom’s radioshow “Ekdom In De Ochtend” and just before their soundcheck for their concert at Podium De Vorstin. The support act for the night was Dutch band Bottles Of Love.

WHAT HAPPENED TO CALVIN HAYES?

Calvin is in the States and left in 2010. He has family there.

(Calvin was dating Kim Wilde in the eighties)

WHY DID YOU BREAK UP IN 1992?

There was a very bad car-accident with the singer Phil ThORNalley (who replaced Clark Datchler and co-wrote Natalie Imbruglia’s “Torn”). We started promoting the second Album (“Tall Stories”, 1991) and the car flipped over and Phil almost had his arm cut off. Terrible timing but luckily nobody died. After the car accident no one wanted to continue. We all have producing and engineering backgrounds, so we had other things to do anyway.

CLARK, HOW WAS YOUR SOLO EXPERIENCE?

All the independent record labels from the fifties, sixties, seventies and eighties were sold and bought by multinational cooperations, like Virgin, which was sold in 1993. We were a part of that and the way they invest in musicians completely changed. My reaction was that I wanted to leave, wanted to do something totally different. I went down to a city called Bath and did my own thing at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios and did lots of recordings with no commercial ideas as the doors where closed anyway. Somewhere in the 2000’s we were welcomed back.

HOW DID YOU GET TOGETHER AGAIN IN 2009?

Datchler wrote “Magnetized” and was pretty clear “this was a Johnny Hates Jazz song”. He called Mike after not having been in touch for 22 years and did not say anything about the song, but it gave him an excuse to call. It felt like they spoke just a week ago and to him it was only a matter of “who picks up the phone first”.

The reason for the success was a combination of “it is just a good song” and especially in the UK “it sounds like Johnny Hates Jazz and it is Johnny Hates Jazz”, so they played it immediately.

WHEN IS YOUR UPCOMING NEW EP OUT?

There is a new EP coming out and that is all I can tell you. It’s gonna be great.

FAVORITE MAGIC JOHNNY HATES JAZZ SONG?

Mike : it will always be “Shattered Dreams”, It’s the first, and it’s a good pop record. In America it’s played 3 million times. One radio station played it 24 hours a day for 24 years.

Clark (can I pick two or three) : “I Don’t Wanna Be Hero”, just recorded it in an Acoustic version for the New EP. A very different version with Piano, Bass and Cello. On the orginal “Turn Back The Clock” Album, everyone felt like they did not do the recording right.

On the “Magnetized” Album, “The Road Not Taken”, a favourite autobiographic song which can refer to anyone. It is really me asking myself the question what would life have been if I made other decisions.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MAGIC SONG OF SOMEONE ELSE?

Mike : I Like “Fire & Rain” James Taylor (Mike could tell that I wasn’t familiar with this song, eyes don’t lie 😉)

Clark : I really love “Forbidden Colours” Ryuichi Sakamoto & David Sylvian, it was a theme of “Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence” with David Bowie. A big hit in the eighties and is a beautiful piece of music.

Coming up a review of the concert of Johnny Hates Jazz, the band that deserve to conquer the world once again with their “Heart Of Gold”.